Bamba put together a strong, albeit inconsistent, freshman seasonafter arriving at Texas as a 5-star prospect and the No. 3 overall player in the 2017 class, per247Sports' composite rankings. He averaged 12.9 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.7 blocks while shooting 54.1 percent from the field.

His draft stock is based more on his untapped potential than the player he is right now, though.

McCollum and the Blazers Snapped Postseason Losing Streak for "Jennifer"

Stars Invest in Plant-Based Food as Vegetarianism Sweeps NBA

The NBA Got Some Wild Techs This Season

Jarrett Allen Is One of the NBA’s Hottest Rim Protectors

Wade's Jersey Swaps Created Epic Moments This Season

Westbrook Makes History While Honoring Nipsey Hussle

Devin Booker Makes History with Scoring Tear

29 Years Ago, Jordan Dropped Career-High 69 Points

Bosh Is Getting His Jersey Raised to the Rafters in Miami

Steph Returns to Houston for 1st Time Since His Moon Landing Troll

Lou Williams Is Coming for a Repeat of Sixth Man of the Year

Pat Beverley Has the Clippers Stealing the LA Shine

LeBron Keeps Shredding NBA Record Books

Young's Hot Streak Is Heating Up the ROY Race with Luka

LeBron and 2 Chainz Form a Superteam to Release a New Album

Wade's #OneLastDance Dominated February

Warriors Fans Go Wild After Unforgettable Moments with Steph

Eight Years Ago, the Nuggets Traded Melo to the Knicks

Two Years Ago, the Kings Shipped Boogie to the Pelicans

ASG Will Be Competitive Again If the NBA Raises the Stakes

Right Arrow Icon

The 20-year-old New York City native is a high-end athlete who should be a reliable rim-protector and secondary offensive option right off the bat in the NBA. But he's continued to make positive strides toward becoming a more complete player.

Three-point shooting is one area of focus. He shot 27.5 percent from beyond the arc at Texas and is making a concerted effort to improve.

Draft Express spotlighted some of his pre-combine work:

DraftExpressContent @DXContent

Mo Bamba made 14 threes on the season, seems to have soft touch and might have more potential as a shooter than he demonstrated in college with @TexasMBB. He has good hands + will be able to space the floor vertically
Here he is working with @DrewHanlen leading up to the combine https://t.co/w319GiG0EU

"My shot feels good," Bamba toldJohn Gonzalezof The Ringer earlier this month. "I can't believe how much progress we've made in the last six weeks."

Bleacher Report'sJonathan Wassermanranked Bamba at No. 7 in his latest big board last month and noted teams have concerns that extend beyond his offensive game.

"Scouts have questioned his toughness, which is an important quality for an interior-oriented player to have," Wasserman wrote. "Bamba ultimately sounds safer and more attractive in the Nos. 6-10 range then he does in the top five."

That range could bring him into the conversation for a big-market team like the Chicago Bulls (No. 7) or New York Knicks (No. 9). The Cleveland Cavaliers (No. 8) could also use a defensive-minded center, and they'd be a more attractive landing spot if LeBron James, a potential free agent, stays.

The good news for the Texas product is that his defensive impact should help him earn the regular playing time he needs to make the necessary adjustments in the seasons ahead.